Telegram-herald., 1887-07-03
LIFE IN VERA CRUZ
ssNeo's cFsiEF FORT or rse ellF
Tks Esxek <aa ne >tssxts he fes4rsts
AFeasteetaFai Gelsf waik A.
Nixak cki.arsa as FiaY Tee
0sFksg otAst sights.

TIE sta.s u v~sa Cruz i popaIarly sad
pleaslaeiy kao1n as tie Gsssre 81 Asxico,
tat tb4 part - Vera Csss s1s1a ~ 10
fslssns ~ regarded As tie Athets ~ tbs fe-
fab.ic. sit1oash - lnaahitaats migbt very
realty ~ tegfae.5 tirecqees ~ tssrang so-ep-
tatloa ot tLe s1ad TIE teach IS fairly
sn.oola bur DIRTY. and the sheiA shlrh come
ashers are. - = ra.e, siaail aaA inagaiaeant.
A.t.Csiga after iEoTthers fan.isgfue ones srs
oftea washed tsbsre The streets are coi.ble-
ston>d attn ones sewers down tie csntsr,
crossed ~ kennel sbspsd llttis bridges.
always set a h.tle above ths esrnsf The
streets are fairly vile aad straight, aud
tolersblr clean, n9t seldom grass grown. "a
aanifaoie system u street ears exist Lers. as
ia most 1sxicaa cities ~ aay size. The
bonses are ulostiy two story, with oae occa-
>.na4liy ilftel - something of TIRES decker
digsaty b. virtue of sn enIesol
fhe favorite architectural color IS lively
yello~. piaket cut with green, which lsn-
parts whimsical ar % ambition. taken IA
conjunction With the timeworn and vensra-
bic aspect 81 tAe town as Wsele Indeed.
tue geUeTal appearance suggests housenud
where the worn and sadel carpet j. patched
70 a degree. and tie fngnislro furnished up
10 preserve the samblance Of grutsii,y.
a feature which gives to the nocturnal
phases of Vera Cruz a eay and attractive air
IS The fashion of al frcsco entertainment
One passes the hctels amt cafes "a tie esrn-
Ing to fsd them deserted within. hls The
wide. stone pssvea arrades before them are
taicsly lined with lifte tables and chairs. az
which slt hundreds of men s,ppinc their
coffee or other after dinner beverages, chat
ting, gossipins, laughing. These rortaies
are really sort OF exchange whittier one
turns 70 fni friend wnon ons may seek
rfscs business hours. Il IS said that the gen
tlemen of Vera Cruz do no. take their coffee
AZ table immediately after dinner. as Is tho
custom, not even v hen dining n. home, bat
rath~rpos' pone II until they stroll out 10 the
portala. ladies are not seen here. however.
In coDforraity with their social restrictions
IN Mexico
charming walk, especially at night, IL
70 the promenade, which here corresponds to
the alameda OF other Mexican tovns-in the
district known az Extra Muros, or Beyond
the Walls although no city walls now re-
main, and the suburb is populous. Hero is a
calzada or paved walk. between two rows on
either side al taii and thick old cocoanut palms.
where ono msy walk while ono hears tho
waves breaking in surf against the soawali
elose by; cr the traveller may rest On tho
succeed benches and dream Of the history of
Vera CRUZ in bygone days, under the white
gleam Of the lighthouse.
At y sht one may see tho children i'm the
streets playing with lucernaga-a greet
frcfy-tied 10 a string, and men go obcnt
with net-covered baskets full OF cocuyos--a
smaller variety-for sale These insects are
also carried mp to the City of Mexico. where,
on holiday occasions. oHe may see them ON
the Zoealo, worn hy both sexes Ladies' i'm
prison then--sometmes a whole haniful-in
the lace al the throat or on the head. arl
men wear them on the coat. boa.onnicr
fashion, 10y means OF a LairPin stynddlcd
across tbe narrow joining between she thordx
and abdomen. so t.iat the rhosphoreseens
little creatures are not hurt further than by
restraint
There are not very many strikingly char
acterstic street scenes in Vera Cruz Tho
negro population is pretty wes a&imilated,
End ta,r attire is quite commonplace. Now
and then one has touch Of the metropolis.
scoing an old woman sitting on rho cub.
with mat before hor. holiisg choice col
lection Of ci~ar stunlre gathered into littlc
heaps. 60 many Tor p chico, as the coast
people call the cuurtllia or three cents Of the
plateau.
IL gives = squeamish sensation. too, 10 see a
pailful Of devil nsh- for the ponlpe Is largely
eaten. and = regarded os a great dellcacv,
even IN the capital Eut a nastier. less arrc-
fizing matter il would he hsrd 70 find than
tlis disgusting animal 50 shapslcss IL Is rs
20 hc almost amorphous I'm It's yielding-bone-
less want of consistency. But Only think
what tren1e 1endous. what fatal power goes
into those inert and Gaccid rays when they
close upon a victim. Aud the Shiny. slipping
way it trails over the sides OF Tie receptacle,
and the livid dsainiy color, lise corruption
ITSELF Faugh,
The market q Vera Cruz is uninferssting
os 20 ghf anH ensemble, ard not particularly
COOL a. g. wares. oven IN tie fish lire II i
said and With SOME probability. that the bast
fish Is shipied 20 tne interior. a. j. used 70 he
in the days uheu--vido tiaditon-the choice
of the catch at Vera Cruz smoked on the table
In Jonteznma's capital tuenty-four hours
after it was taken from the sea.
About the ouiy s-omfort, Castronomically,
abort this places Is toe wine very good
dinner clarst may b had for fiftycents tho
bottle. IN some II the hotels toe floors of
passages, etc. are ~ grating. ike that IN
trlrl cars. and for further coolncss aud ven
tlation tie chambers are divided from tho
corridors hv a sort Of balustra1e partition.
inside ct which afs folding panels. which can
be turned back 90 wiil. None oi the hotels
have rarlors. hat tho vide, cool corridors are
prov I'D eith Scfas ana rockers where one
may l0ungs or fe,cive ones friends
There j. EllD+so Ia seen IN Vera Cruz that
Is os intercst - s'gaug r-fhe library. situ-
sfei g afore>aii Ia q former church. whose
tower s. nov shthouse ga orphan asylum.
tie yfiiow fever hosolial. II ones pluck -
good ths Blask Christ. ard that is about ail
The charitable institutions arc notable s.nuly
for thrir systematic and elective manage
ment To D1ck Christ IS an image in a
clalel ont BY the Extra Muros. end. while It
d somewhat tavnv ln color. II e hv no means
81 irdi -ative y the native saiin ia a Saviour
81 their own color as another eflgy I saw et
Cuan,la, which really was typical. not only
a. 20 the rsn.h darker bge. h8t slso n feature
ard exprrsion--T r. A5dis 10 san Frsn-
cisco C8roni1ie
oniT a Formal Acquaintance.
Swell Vo-ino Te.Iv f.s Polo rrns.,ffsi- 49, FvifA